Christie’s 123rd Bruce Springsteen Concert Won’t Be at His Inauguration

Christopher J. Christie, the Republican governor-elect of New Jersey, has attended 122 Bruce Springsteen concerts and wanted nothing more than to have the Boss appear at his inauguration. Mr. Christie’s brother, Todd, a stock trader, sent a message through an intermediary to Jon Landau, Mr. Springsteen’s manager, saying that he would make a gift to a charity of the singer’s choosing if Mr. Springsteen performed.

As a fallback, Todd Christie suggested arranging a benefit concert in the week leading up to the Jan. 19 inaugural, to put a little distance between the events if that would make Mr. Springsteen, a diehard Democrat, more comfortable.

Photo

Bruce Springsteen performing at Izod Center in East Rutherford N.J., in May. Credit
Chad Batka for The New York Times

But word came back that, while Mr. Springsteen had performed for the Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and John Kerry, “he doesn’t want to get involved in state politics,” Todd Christie said.

The intermediary, he said, was Jerold Zaro, a friend of the governor-elect’s and another loyal Springsteen fan.

Mr. Zaro, diplomatically, stressed that the rejection had been polite: Mr. Springsteen, he said he was told, “was well aware that the governor-elect is a fan and wishes him every success, because needless to say, he’s a loyal and devoted citizen of New Jersey.”

Taking no offense, Mr. Christie arranged instead to bring in the B Street Band, a long-running Springsteen tribute band, which plays at events ranging from bar mitzvahs and birthdays to arena shows, not to mention the governor-elect’s election-night party.

A version of this article appears in print on December 9, 2009, on Page A33 of the New York edition with the headline: Christie’s 123rd Bruce Springsteen Concert Won’t Be at His Inauguration. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe